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The most recently available data show that between 2000 and 2004, the five year survival rate for oesophageal cancer was 11% for men and 7.7% for women.

Further information on survival rates for oesophageal cancer is available on the NHS Information Services Division website http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/1493.html. Data for other cancers can be found at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/183.html.

We are aware that survival rates for oesophageal cancer remain poor compared with some other cancers, although we are encouraged to see that mortality rates for both men and women are decreasing. Action is taking place to tackle alcohol consumption, poor diet and smoking, all of which are known risk factors for oesophageal cancer. Through earlier detection, more rapid diagnosis and treatment, survival after cancer continues to improve.

The information requested is not centrally available. However, the number of Clinical nurse specialists in mental illness broken down by specialty and NHS board is available from National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland from the website link:

http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5352.html - cns.

It should be recognised that a wide range of health professionals, which includes medical staff, clinical nurse specialists and allied health professionals are needed to care for patients with specific conditions such as dementia.

A working group has been established to evaluate the progress made by each NHS board under the programme. NHS boards submitted interim reports on expenditure and performance in August 2008 and we will be undertaking a further round of information gathering next March.

The amount allocated to each NHS board under the Scottish Enhanced Services Programme for 2009-10 is detailed in the following table:

NHS Board	Amount
Ayrshire and Arran	£955,486
Borders	£246,968
Dumfries and Galloway	£367,314
Fife	£781,862
Forth Valley	£656,050
Grampian	£1,093,873
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	£3,852,930
Highland	£811,891
Lanarkshire	£1,382,541
Lothian	£1,684,575
Orkney	£43,090
Shetland	£45,965
Tayside	£1,003,616
Western Isles	£73,839
Total	£13,000,000

 

The information requested is not centrally available. The data on the number of nurses employed by the NHS as at 30 September each year is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland and is available from the website link:

http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5352.html.

Figures for (a) registered and (b) not registered nurses are not held centrally. However, an approximation for registered nurses would be Agenda for Change band 5 and above and bands 1-4 for nurses not registered. NHSScotland workforce data is published by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland. Nursing figures are shown by band grouping at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5352.html - staff_in_post.

The number of nursing staff (excluding midwifery) employed at 30 September 2009 was (head count) 64,836, up from 63,400 in 2008.

Employment matters within NHSScotland are the responsibility of health boards and the Scottish Government is not party to agreements reached between boards and their employees. (Boards are however required to notify the Scottish Government of any termination payments to employees which exceed their basic contractual entitlement. I can confirm that no such notification was received from the Scottish Ambulance Service.)

The following table shows the percentage change of defined daily dose (DDD) per capita of antidepressants using the HEAT target measure. This measure tracks change on the basis of a rolling twelve month period and has always been, and continues to be, the method set and agreed for tracking progress against the target.

Year Ending	Scotland % change
30-06-2006	0.21%
30-09-2006	0.89%
31-12-2006	1.58%
31-03-2007	1.64%
30-06-2007	0.96%
30-09-2007	1.77%
31-12-2007	1.54%
31-03-2008	1.12%
30-06-2008	0.29%
30-09-2008	1.17%
31-12-2008	1.43%
31-03-2009	1.19%
30-06-2009	1.33%

 

A small proportion of the funding to support the Scottish budget is non-recurring, for example, end-year flexibility moneys and income from asset sales.

NHS boards are required to implement suicide prevention training to meet the target for training of frontline staff. Support in relation to this training is available to boards from the Scottish Government''s Mental Health Delivery Team and from NHS Health Scotland. As part of this, the Scottish Government (SG) is preparing, with NHS Health Scotland, guidance outlining the responsibilities of SG, NHS Health Scotland and NHS boards with respect to delivering this target. This guidance, to issue shortly, will detail the support which can be made available to boards to help them reach the target.

Data on boards'' progress is monitored regularly by the Scottish Government. The most recent data was published on 29 September 2009 at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Health/SuicidePreventionStats.

On the basis of developments indicated by boards during recent Scottish Government Mental Health Implementation Review meetings, we expect to meet this target.